Bill Bader, Jr. Launches The Sportsman Racing League
NORWALK, Ohio (November 11, 2026) – Entering his 50th year in drag racing, industry leader Bill Bader, Jr. today announced the formation of a brand-new sanctioning organization: The Sportsman Racing League (SRL). Built entirely around the needs of track owners, operators and sportsman racers, the SRL is dedicated 100 percent to revitalizing and supporting the core foundation of the sport. Watch REPLAY 2026 Sportsman World Finals As part of this launch, the SRL has acquired the rights to all existing sanction agreements previously held by the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA). Bader emphasized that the SRL operates as a completely distinct, independent entity with no affiliation or ongoing association with the IHRA. "Sportsman racing is the heartbeat, the backbone, and the soul of drag racing," said Bill Bader, Jr., President of the Sportsman Racing League. "For years, track owners, operators and grassroots competitors across North America have called for stable, transparent, racer-first leadership. We are launching the SRL to deliver exactly that: an organization built and run by ‘track people’ who understand the daily realities of operating a facility, managing overhead, preparing a track surface at 2:00 AM, and welcoming racers and their families at the gate. To ensure immediate
